


Labyrinth Ficsnippet

by romans



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-07
Updated: 2013-08-07
Packaged: 2017-12-22 17:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/915746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romans/pseuds/romans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Come on, you supercilious bastard," she says under her breath. A sudden coughing fit blocks out everything but the ache in her breast and her lungs struggling for air. She feels paper-thin, suddenly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Labyrinth Ficsnippet

**Author's Note:**

> This was going to be long and stuff but I never got up steam. Maybe another time.

The day before she dies, Sarah Williams leaves a bowl of milk on her doorstep and pulls her best recliner up next to the radiator. She leaves a bottle of Glenfiddich on the floor beside it as an afterthought. Then, with her back aching, her lungs creaking, her hands shaking, she sits back on her bed, reclining against the ergonomic cushions, and waits.

There are no words to say, because she's technically not supposed to do this at all. But she knows that Jareth won't let her go that easily. In fact, she's banking on it.

The minutes tick by, and the sun slides down the wall to her left. She sleeps for rather longer than she'd meant to, and when she wakes up the room is dark. She clenches her fingers in the duvet. If there _were_ right words for this, she'd say them.

"Come on, you supercilious bastard," she says under her breath. A sudden coughing fit blocks out everything but the ache in her breast and her lungs struggling for air. She feels paper-thin, suddenly. 

When her vision clears, he's standing at the foot of her bed. He's taller than she remembered, but he still vibrates with obscene vitality. He's holding a crystal in one gloved hand.

"You came," she says. She can't keep her eyes off of the crystal, for some reason. Her gaze follows it as Jareth kneels at her bedside. His face is almost gentle.

"Do you know what this is?" he asks.

"A gift for a special girl?" she asks, and he shakes his head. The crystal refracts the evening sunlight as he rolls it over his knuckles.

"This, Sarah, is your death," he says. His hands close over the shining orb and when he opens them it's gone. He reaches out with one hand to touch her head, and she closes her eyes. 

"Come with me," Jareth says. His voice is commanding, and she couldn't stay if she wanted to. Her old legs find the strength to lift her out of her bed, somehow. He slides a warm arm around her back, supporting her when she stands. 

When she looks up, her house has disappeared completely. The Labyrinth is spread out before her, hazy and glimmering gold. The castle looks very far away. Jareth's hand tightens on her shoulder.

"You know the rules, Sarah," he says. She takes a deep breath and tries to not be afraid. She knows how far it is, this time, and her knees aren't what they used to be. 

"Solve the Labyrinth in thirteen hours, and I will give you everything you ever wanted," he says. He doesn't seem particularly concerned. She knows better. 

She's older now, and not so strong as she once was, but she's also a good deal smarter than she'd been the first time around. And she knows the path. She's got a few tricks up her sleeve. She's pretty certain that Jareth won't make it any harder for her this time. 

He wants her to win. 

No matter how you cut it, thirteen hours to earn immortality beats a boring old ordinary death in an ordinary bed in a California suburb. 

"Come on, feet," Sarah says, because tradition is important. She stoops to pick up a walking stick and makes her way down the dunes towards the wall.


End file.
